Artificial intelligence has become a major part of organisations across the world. Amid the increasing fear of AI taking away jobs, Replika founder and CEO Eugenia Kuyda has echoed similar sentiments on the issue. Speaking on a recent episode of the Platformer podcast, Kuyda said the fear of job is “super justified.”
AI Could Trigger Public Backlash
Speaking on the podcast, the Replika CEO warned that AI-driven job loss may lead to large-scale protests in the future. She also said that many people outside major technology hubs are already worried about their future employment prospects. She stressed, “We’ll live in this very optimistic city where it’s all about like future, future, future, but as soon as you get out of here, like it’s pretty scary.”
Notably, she asserted that many people are struggling to find jobs and also warned that the problem may become worse as AI tools continue to improve. She added, “People are really struggling to find jobs, and I think this can only get worse. Crazy protests around jobs and AI are going to start happening.” She predicted that frustration over jobs may lead to public demonstrations.
Companies Are Hiring Fewer Entry-Level Workers
As per the Replika CEO, AI is already changing hiring practices, especially for junior-level positions. Kuyda explained that bringing in less experienced employees has become more costly for startups when AI can perform many entry-level tasks. “Hiring a more inexperienced person becomes extremely expensive and completely not sustainable for a startup. But I’m not hiring people anymore for these junior jobs, and I don’t know who is,” added Kuyda.
Kuyda’s comments come at a time when the tech world is debating over how AI will affect the global workforce. While big tech continues to argue that AI will boost productivity and create new opportunities, experts fear that AI may reduce demand for entry-level and routine jobs across the industries.
The discussion highlights a broader challenge: ensuring that the benefits of AI are shared widely while minimising its impact on jobs and social stability.
